According to a comparative study of the injury rates in different states, Oklahoma is one of the top five states with the highest rate of injury deaths in the United States. The study, conducted in May by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Trust for America’s Health, looked at overall injury rates in each …
According to a comparative study of the injury rates in different states, Oklahoma is one of the top five states with the highest rate of injury deaths in the United States. The study, conducted in May by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Trust for America’s Health, looked at overall injury rates in each of the 50 states in order to pinpoint the top five states with the highest prevalence of injury fatalities. Injury is the leading cause of death among individuals aged one to 44, and the third highest cause of death overall. If you have been injured in an accident in Oklahoma, or if you lost a loved one in such an accident, contact our personal injury attorneys at Oklahoma Legal Center to discuss your legal options.
State Safety Laws and Fatalities in Oklahoma
The injury study identified the following five states as having the highest injury-related death rates: New Mexico, Montana, Wyoming, Oklahoma and Mississippi. The study also examined whether states had established any of the ten most important injury-prevention measures identified by top injury-prevention experts, and could therefore have an impact on safety laws across the United States. According to the research, when it came to high injury-related death rates, the number of fatalities didn’t always match up with the states that implemented the fewest injury-prevention measures. New Mexico, for example, had the highest rate of injury deaths, but had also utilized seven of the ten safety measures.
Some of the safety laws identified by injury-prevention experts include obvious measures like wearing helmets on motorcycles and bicycles, requiring the use of seat belts, and using car seats for children. Others involve more punitive measures, like requiring mandatory ignition locks for individuals convicted of drunk driving. Still others involve youth safety, like teen dating violence laws and concussion safety laws. The authors of the study advocate that all states adopt these laws, but the decision to implement and enforce new laws isn’t always an easy or inexpensive endeavor for city and state governments.
Contact an OK Personal Injury Attorney Today
Another issue affecting the implementation of these safety measures is maintaining a balance between personal choice and public safety. Advocates of the safety laws argue that governments have a duty to protect the safety of their citizens. Opponents contend that government interference can interfere with personal freedoms. Regardless of what side of the argument you are on, if you have suffered injuries in an Oklahoma City accident, your first move should be to contact our qualified personal injury attorneys at Oklahoma Legal Center. Injuries resulting from car accidents, defective pharmaceutical drugs, dangerous consumer products and work-related accidents in Oklahoma can lead to costly medical bills, long-term disability, and possibly even death. With the help of our knowledgeable personal injury lawyers at Oklahoma Legal Center, injury victims and their families can protect their legal rights and pursue the compensation they deserve.